Card game equipment



June 17, 1952 B. F. EDWARDS 2,600,951

CARD GAME EQUIPMENT Filed Aug. 12, 1947 Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARD GAME EQUIPMENT Benjamin F. Edwards, Santa Monica, Calif. Application August 12, 1947, Serial No. 768,213

This invention relates to card game equipment' and more especially to equipment particularly adapted to facilitate playing of card games at a location exposed to wind or breeze.

Card-clipping and like mechanical devices have heretofore been proposed for retaining cards on the playing table, but these devices require special and careful manipulation of the cards, detract from the enjoyment of the game, and greatly shorten the life of the card decks with which they are used.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the necessity for such mechanical devices.

A further object is to provide for the employment'of magnetic force to prevent blowing away of the cards.

A further object is to provide cards and a playing surface having mutual attraction for each other sufficient to prevent blowing away of the cards displayed or being played thereon. A further object is to provide a deck of playing cards having paramagnetic characteristics and a playing surface having magnetic characteristics for retaining the paramagnetic cards thereto.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof.

The invention comprises, severally and interdependently, the combination of paramagnetic playing cards, a magnetic playing surface, and cooperative features, which individually and collectively contribute to the realization of the aforesaid objects; and in the several novel elements, subcombinations and features hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrative of preferred embodiments of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a foldable playing surface provided with permanently magnetized areas for retaining cards on display and in play, and further adapted to cooperate with a supporting surface for retaining played tricks, discards and the like, the cards and supporting surface being shown in phantom lines.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-'-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 3 and 4 are partially magnified perspective views of embodiments of playing cards provided with paramagnetic characteristics in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a form of electromagnet particularly adapted for providing 5 Claims. (Cl. 273-148) non-permanently magnetized areas of playing surface in card tables and the like --employing the invention.

Considered in more detail, the magnetic playing surface shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a light weight playing board I ll of balsa wood, cellulose fibre, or other suitable material. As shown, the board III is preferably hinged to fold together along a median line in any suitable manner. Preferably a concealed hinge or a fabric strip hinge or the like is used to' avoid wear and. tear on the cards. As shown, the board I0 is also preferably provided with taperbeveled edges l-l, and'the exposed surfaces of the board are preferably lightly finished with shellac, varnish, or other suitable wear-resisting composition l2, as indicated.

The board I0 is provided with areas exhibiting magnetic characteristics, in the form of Figs. 1 and 2 by driving through the board, from the back, in the selected areas I4 a multiplicity of small staple-shaped permanent magnets [5 (Fig. 2). The assembly of these magnets in the board is facilitated by forming it of balsa wood or other soft material, since the heads of the staples l5 are easily seated in the material when the prongs are driven therethrough. If sharpened when driven into place, the tips of the prongs may be smoothed off or flattened in any suitable way. After the staple-shaped magnets [5 are driven through the selected areas 14 of the board, the top surface of the assembly is flush-finished and varnished or otherwise treated, the coating I2 being rubbed off to expose, or nearly expose, the upper ends of the magnet prongs.

As is best shown in Fig. 2, the backs of the board sections, at least in the selected areas M, are covered with a sheet of felt or other suitable material [6, to conceal the heads of the staples l5.

As is best indicated in Fig. 1 the board is preferably of an area somewhat smaller than the area of the normal card table indicated in phantom lines at H. A size approximately two feet square is suitable.

In addition the marginal edges l I of the board are preferably formed so as to exhibit, at least when in position for play, card-retaining slots extending about said marginal edges. In the form of Figs. 1 and 2 the undersurface of the board at its marginal edges is relieved at l8 to provide such slot between the marginal edges of the board and the underlying playing surface. When the undersurface of the board is covered 3 with felt or the like IS, the edges of such felt layer may be thinned to provide part or all of this wedge-shaped relief or slot, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The board comprises at least one selected area of incorporating such characteristics in the mode hand in stud poker, or the melding of combinations in rummy and like games, for example. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 each area l4 may have a size of approximately ten by twelve inches, which is adequate for the placing thereon of a spread dummy hand.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the permanent magnetic elements which are carried in the respective areas I4 are preferably located in predetermined positions therein so that a magnet of one area, in the closed position of the board,

will lie in underlying relation to a magnet of H the other area, the magnets of the respective area being oppositely poled. Thus in the folded position of this preferred embodiment the permanent magnetic elements serve as keepers for each other. I

When less than the entire board is provided with magnetic qualities, the areas l4 arepreferably suitably identified so as to present an appearance contrasting with the remainder of the playing surface. 1 and 2 the exhibition in the top of the board of the prong tips of the magnets l5 serves to impart to the areas M such distinctive appearance.

The use of the board of Figs. 1 and 2 may be exemplified by the playing of bridge therewith. 4-

dealer are similarly placed on the other area M.

The players other than the dealer may pick up their respective cards as dealt, thus preventing overcrowding of the areas and affording ample space for magnetic retention of the dealers cards. When the bidding is completed the board I0 is shifted to place one of the areas 14 in the dummy position and the dummy hand is laid out thereon as shown phantomwise at D, Fig. 1. As the cards are played to tricks they are preferably laid on the other area as shown phantomwise at E, Fig. l. The tricks which are taken by the respective sides are preferably slipped into the slot It provided marginally of the board as shown phantomwise at F and G, Fig. 1. When the slot is for-med by relief of the undersurface of the board as best shown in Fig. 2, this is easily effected, and by pushing the cards under the board more or less, their retention by the weight of the board is assured even when the play is conducted in a quite breezy location. As the board I0 is freely movable relative to the table 11, it may simply be slid away'from the tricks of the retained book (F or G) while the latter are held in place by the hand, to enable them to be gathered up-easily at the end of a hand.

If desired, the entir upper surface of the board may constitute a single magnetic area, or, in the case of boards more nearly approaching the area of a standard card table, magnetic areas may be placed before each player and at the In the form shown in Figs. 1

center of the board. Furthermore, it will be perceived that the board will be useful in facilitating the playing in breezy locations of any card game i in which th cards are laid out for display or played to tricks, and that the features of the invention may be embodied in the playing surfaces of card tables themselves, as well as in auxiliary board equipment.

The. paramagnetic characteristics may be incorporated in the cards of the deck in any suitable way. For example, Fig. 3 shows one mode ern plastic form of playing cards. In this embodiment the plastic composition from which t cards are formed has incorporated therein ara.- magnetic material such as iron powder, for example. Thus without unduly increasing the thickness of the card, the card has imparted thereto paramagnetic properties enabling it to,

be retained by magnetic area M of Fig. 1.

Where it is desired that the powder be not exposed in the surfaces of the cards, such surfaces may be finished with a transparent or opaque coating as desired.

In the form of Fig. 4 the card body includes a sheet of paramagnetic foil. As shown in the enlarged section of Fig. 4 this foil is preferably arranged as a lamination closely adjacent the back surface of the card, and is preferably covered with a protective coating if the foil is of a character subject to corrosion. The protective coating may itself carry the design of the card backs, or such design may be exhibited by the surface of the foil. Aside from the inclusion in the body of each card of paramagnetic material extendin throughout its area, as shown in Fig. 3 or-4, each of the cards of the deck is like an ordinary playing card. As the paramagnetic material extends throughout the area of each card, the cards of the complete deck are uniformly flexible and capable of being shuflled by riflling, i. e. by flexing the two halves of the deck and releasing them progressively into interleaving relation in the conventional manner.

The invention is not limited to the use of permanent magnet means in the area or areas I4 of the playing surface, as electromagnetic means may be employed. Various expedients may be resorted to to provide magnetic areas of considerable extent without undue increase in the weight or thickness of the board or table. One form of electromagnetic element which may be employed is shown by way of example in Fig. 5.

As there shown, the laminated core 30 may be made up of a row of staple-shaped wires secured together by a binder in much the same manner as the conventional staple-strip for stapling machines, and the energizing coil 3| may be wound about the head of the resulting staple-strip. Such electromagnetic elements may be inserted from below the surface. of the conventional card table or an auxiliary board in much the same fashion as is shown in Fig. 2, except that the prongs of the elements 30 will preferably be inserted in pre-formed slots extending partially or wholly through the Surface.

The leads 32, 33 in this instance, will be connected to a suitable source of current to energize the electromagnets. Such current may be derived from either a battery or a house current supply, for example.

As in the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the playing areas, if not co-.-extensive with the board, are preferably outlined or colored in a manner to distinguish them from the remainder of the surface, or may be rendered distinctive by the exposure of the prongs of the magnetic elements at the surface.

Itis obvious that various features of the in- V .vention may be omitted without departure from for use in breezy locations, said equipment com- Uprising at least one complete deck of playing cards and a playing surface for supporting cards of said deck in the play of the game; each of the cards of said complete deck being of substan tially conventional shape, thickness and flexibility, and each of said cards containing in its body paramagnetic material extending throughout its area, so that every card of the complete deck is uniformly flexible throughout its area and capable of being held by a magnetic force and so that the deck of cards is capable of being shufiied by riflling; said playing surface being horizontally disposed in normal use and of a size to receive cards normally displayed on a playing surface during the playing of a card game, said playing surface comprising at least one substantially planar card receiving display area equal in size to the sum of the areas of a plurality of said play= ing cards, and said playing surface comprising magnetic elements underlying said substantially planar card receiving area and creating a mag netic field substantially coextensive with said card receiving area for magnetically retaining on said display area any of the paramagnetic cards of said deck as they ar merely placed or dropped thereon.

2. A complete deck of playing cards for use with a magnetic playing surface, each card of said complete deck being of substantially conventional shape, thickness and flexibility, and each card of said complete deck containing in its body paramagnetic material extending through-= out its area, so that every card of the complete deck is uniformly flexible throughout its area and capable of being attracted to and held by a magnetic playing surface and so that the deck of cards is capable of being shuflled by riffling.

3. A complete deck of playing cards according to claim 2, each card of said complete deck being formed of plastic composition comprising paramagnetic powder.

4. A complete deck of playing cards according to claim 2, each card of said complete deck being of laminated construction and comprising a lamination of paramagnetic foil.

5. A playing surface for use with paramagnetic playing cards, said playing surface being horizontally disposed in normal use and of a size to receive cards normally displayed on a playing surface during the playing of a card game, said playing surface comprising at least one substantially planar card receiving and displaying area equal in size to the sum of the areas of a plurality of playing cards of conventional size, said playing surface comprising magnetic elements underlying said substantially planar card receiving area and creating a magnetic field substantially coextensive with said card receiving area, said playing surface being in the form of a board somewhat smaller in area than that of a standard card table, and movably positionable on a supporting surface, said magnetic board having the undersides of certain of its marginal edges bevelled for exhibiting an outwardly flaring marginal card retaining slot between said edges and the underlying supporting surface, the movability of said board providing for simultaneously freeing all cards retained in the slot under one edge of said board, said board having the upper sides of said certain marginal edges bevelled to meet the underbevelled portions thereof in the form of a wedge, thereby facilitating sliding of a group of cards from said magnetic area and into said slot with minimum chance of damage to the edges of such cards.

BENJAMIN F. EDWARDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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